Same thing happened where I'm at. I was a member at a corporate owned Golds that closed permanently just a few weeks after Covid started. I was forced to join the Planet Fitness along with the other member of the Golds. Night and day difference in the quality of the gyms. My body is not the same shape as it was at the Golds and it's very frustrating.
The equipment seemed better and there was more of it. It just an enjoyable gym to work out in. I was also a member of a large LA fitness which was even better than Golds. Planet fitness is depressing to work out at and I look forward to eventually going to a new gym.
I guess it depends on the Gold's Gym you go to! The one I went to in Greenville had broken equipment routinely, never enough 45 pound plates to go around (usually some moron who piled all of them on the leg press machine) , and people just sitting on machines texting forever. I was getting sick of it.
PF isn't hard core but the one I went to for a trial visit had everything in working order, free weights, was clean and I never had to wait to use anything.
